Thematic Bible: Self-righteousness


Thematic Bible






The Pharisee, standing, prayed thus to himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer. I fast twice in the week, I tithe everything I gain.

But no one having lit a lamp sets it in secret, nor under the corn-measure, but on the lamp-stand, that they who enter in may see the light. The lamp of the body is thine eye: when thine eye is simple, thy whole body also is light; but when it is wicked, thy body also is dark. See therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. read more.
If therefore thy whole body is light, not having any part dark, it shall be all light as when the lamp lights thee with its brightness. But as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him that he would dine with him; and entering in he placed himself at table. But the Pharisee seeing it wondered that he had not first washed before dinner. But the Lord said to him, Now do ye Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but your inward parts are full of plunder and wickedness. Fools, has not he who has made the outside made the inside also? But rather give alms of what ye have, and behold, all things are clean to you. But woe unto you, Pharisees, for ye pay tithes of mint and rue and every herb, and pass by the judgment and the love of God: these ye ought to have done, and not have left those aside. Woe unto you, Pharisees, for ye love the first seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market-places. Woe unto you, for ye are as the sepulchres which appear not, and the men walking over them do not know it. And one of the doctors of the law answering says to him, Teacher, in saying these things thou insultest us also. And he said, To you also woe, doctors of the law, for ye lay upon men burdens heavy to bear, and yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe unto you, for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, but your fathers killed them. Ye bear witness then, and consent to the works of your fathers; for they killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. For this reason also the wisdom of God has said, I will send to them prophets and apostles, and of these shall they kill and drive out by persecution, that the blood of all the prophets which has been poured out from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the house; yea, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation. Woe unto you, the doctors of the law, for ye have taken away the key of knowledge; yourselves have not entered in, and those who were entering in ye have hindered. And as he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him urgently, and to make him speak of many things; watching him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

They answered him, We are Abraham's seed, and have never been under bondage to any one; how sayest thou, Ye shall become free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Every one that practises sin is the bondman of sin. Now the bondman abides not in the house for ever: the son abides for ever. read more.
If therefore the Son shall set you free, ye shall be really free. I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word has no entrance in you. I speak what I have seen with my Father, and ye then do what ye have seen with your father. They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus says to them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham; but now ye seek to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth to you, which I have heard from God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the works of your father. They said therefore to him, We are not born of fornication; we have one father, God. Jesus said to them, If God were your father ye would have loved me, for I came forth from God and am come from him; for neither am I come of myself, but he has sent me. Why do ye not know my speech? Because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of the devil, as your father, and ye desire to do the lusts of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks falsehood, he speaks of what is his own; for he is a liar and its father: and because I speak the truth, ye do not believe me. Which of you convinces me of sin? If I speak truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God hears the words of God: therefore ye hear them not, because ye are not of God. The Jews answered and said to him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a demon? Jesus answered, I have not a demon; but I honour my Father, and ye dishonour me. But I do not seek my own glory: there is he that seeks and judges. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If any one shall keep my word, he shall never see death. The Jews therefore said to him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham has died, and the prophets, and thou sayest, If any one keep my word, he shall never taste death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who has died? and the prophets have died: whom makest thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom ye say, He is our God. And ye know him not; but I know him; and if I said, I know him not, I should be like you, a liar. But I know him, and I keep his word. Your father Abraham exulted in that he should see my day, and he saw and rejoiced. The Jews therefore said to him, Thou hast not yet fifty years, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. They took up therefore stones that they might cast them at him; but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and thus passed on.

They railed at him, and said, Thou art his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses; but as to this man, we know not whence he is. The man answered and said to them, Now in this is a wonderful thing, that ye do not know whence he is, and he has opened mine eyes. read more.
But we know that God does not hear sinners; but if any one be God-fearing and do his will, him he hears. Since time was, it has not been heard that any one opened the eyes of one born blind. If this man were not of God he would be able to do nothing. They answered and said to him, Thou hast been wholly born in sins, and thou teachest us? And they cast him out.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within they are full of rapine and intemperance. Blind Pharisee, make clean first the inside of the cup and of the dish, that their outside also may become clean. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like whited sepulchres, which appear beautiful outwardly, but within are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. read more.
Thus also ye, outwardly ye appear righteous to men, but within are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

But the Lord said to him, Now do ye Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but your inward parts are full of plunder and wickedness. Fools, has not he who has made the outside made the inside also? But rather give alms of what ye have, and behold, all things are clean to you. read more.
But woe unto you, Pharisees, for ye pay tithes of mint and rue and every herb, and pass by the judgment and the love of God: these ye ought to have done, and not have left those aside. Woe unto you, Pharisees, for ye love the first seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market-places. Woe unto you, for ye are as the sepulchres which appear not, and the men walking over them do not know it.



And the Pharisee who had invited him, seeing it, spoke with himself saying, This person if he were a prophet would have known who and what the woman is who touches him, for she is a sinner. Verse ConceptsSinnersUncharitablenessChrist Knowing About PeopleSoliloquyWho Is This?What Kind?Jesus The Prophet

And the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples, Why does your teacher eat with tax-gatherers and sinners? But Jesus hearing it, said, They that are strong have not need of a physician, but those that are ill. But go and learn what that is I will have mercy and not sacrifice; for I have not come to call righteous men but sinners.




who say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. Verse ConceptsHypocrisy, Description OfNosesPrejudicePride, Examples OfSmokeHypocrites, Description OfFire Of EvilAll DayHolier Than ThouChanging YourselfsmokingSmoke Used Poetically

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up tempting him, and saying, Teacher, having done what, shall I inherit life eternal? Verse ConceptsLawyersInheritance, SpiritualSeeking LifeTesting ChristDoing God's WorksTests


But surely I count also all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all, and count them to be filth, that I may gain Christ; and that I may be found in him, not having my righteousness, which would be on the principle of law, but that which is by faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God through faith, to know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, read more.
if any way I arrive at the resurrection from among the dead.

but what things were gain to me these I counted, on account of Christ, loss. But surely I count also all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all, and count them to be filth, that I may gain Christ; and that I may be found in him, not having my righteousness, which would be on the principle of law, but that which is by faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God through faith, read more.
to know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like whited sepulchres, which appear beautiful outwardly, but within are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Thus also ye, outwardly ye appear righteous to men, but within are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Thou shalt not say in thy heart, when Jehovah thy God thrusteth them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness Jehovah hath brought me in to possess this land; but for the wickedness of these nations doth Jehovah dispossess them from before thee. Verse ConceptsRetributionSelf Righteousness, Nature OfWhy It Happened


And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, Blessed art thou of Jehovah: I have fulfilled the word of Jehovah. Verse ConceptsLying, Examples OfSalutationsI Keep The Commandmentssaul



and ye say, If we had been in the days of our fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Verse ConceptsSheddingAncestorsKilling ProphetsProphets KilledTimes Of People

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee, standing, prayed thus to himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer. I fast twice in the week, I tithe everything I gain.

I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; and they shall not profit thee. Verse ConceptsUnprofitable Sins

And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, Blessed art thou of Jehovah: I have fulfilled the word of Jehovah. And Samuel said, What means then this bleating of sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of oxen which I hear? And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites, because the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. read more.
And Samuel said to Saul, Stay, that I may tell thee what Jehovah has said to me this night. And he said to him, Say on. And Samuel said, Was it not when thou wast little in thine eyes that thou becamest the head of the tribes of Israel, and Jehovah anointed thee king over Israel? And Jehovah sent thee on a way and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Why then didst thou not hearken to the voice of Jehovah, but didst fall upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of Jehovah? And Saul said to Samuel, I have indeed hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Has Jehovah delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, As in hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, Attention than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And selfwill is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He hath also rejected thee from being king. And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy words; for I feared the people, and hearkened to their voice. And now, I pray thee, forgive my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not turn again with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned to go away, Saul laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. Then Samuel said to him, Jehovah has rent the kingdom of Israel from thee to-day, and has given it to thy neighbour, who is better than thou. And also the Hope of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent. And he said, I have sinned; honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah thy God. So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped Jehovah.

And he spoke also to some, who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and made nothing of all the rest of men, this parable: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee, standing, prayed thus to himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer. read more.
I fast twice in the week, I tithe everything I gain. And the tax-gatherer, standing afar off, would not lift up even his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, O God, have compassion on me, the sinner. I say unto you, This man went down to his house justified rather than that other. For every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.


If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity, Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me.

For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. Verse ConceptsHypocrisy, Description OfLegalismSelf Righteousness, Nature OfSelf Righteousness, And The GospelSpiritual IgnoranceTrusting In WorksSeeking For Abstract ThingsIgnorance of GodignoranceFutile Faith

who say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. Verse ConceptsHypocrisy, Description OfNosesPrejudicePride, Examples OfSmokeHypocrites, Description OfFire Of EvilAll DayHolier Than ThouChanging YourselfsmokingSmoke Used Poetically

For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. Verse ConceptsHypocrisy, Description OfLegalismSelf Righteousness, Nature OfSelf Righteousness, And The GospelSpiritual IgnoranceTrusting In WorksSeeking For Abstract ThingsIgnorance of GodignoranceFutile Faith



The Pharisee, standing, prayed thus to himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer. Verse ConceptsExtortion, Examples OfAttitudes, in prayerHypocrisy, Description OfPrejudiceStandingStatusTax CollectorsHypocrites, Description OfSelf DelusionEvildoersNot Like PeopleAvoid AdulteryWe Thank GodConfession of sin


If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse. Verse ConceptsSelf CondemnationHuman ImperfectionPlea Of Innocencecondemnation


For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. Verse ConceptsHypocrisy, Description OfLegalismSelf Righteousness, Nature OfSelf Righteousness, And The GospelSpiritual IgnoranceTrusting In WorksSeeking For Abstract ThingsIgnorance of GodignoranceFutile Faith